The Jacksonville Jaguars added another win to their record to begin the 2025 NFL season, moving to 4-1 with an emphatic primetime upset over the Kansas City Chiefs. Getting a victory against the reigning AFC champions is telling. Getting one versus two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes under the bright lights of Monday Night Football is revelatory.
There was still a bit of skepticism surrounding the Jaguars' status as playoff contenders this year, even after notching three wins in their first four games. They erased all of that remaining doubt by toppling the Chiefs.
Not only did Jacksonville take down a modern dynasty in Week 5, but they did so with a highly impressive performance from Trevor Lawrence and the passing game, answering the only remaining question left about this team. Can the Jaguars' attack continue to ascend and become the fantasy football factory some expected them to be?
One of the biggest gripes around Trevor Lawrence's game in his first few years for the Jacksonville Jaguars was his pocket presence. He showed a tendency to hold onto the ball too long and take unnecessary sacks far too often. He was within the top 15 for sacks taken in both 2021 and 2023.
This season, he's been one of the least hit quarterbacks in the league. Against the Kansas City Chiefs, he took the most sacks yet of the year, getting pulled down three times. However, considering that the Jaguars allowed 24 pressures, that's not too bad.
Even on the three times he did get sacked, it didn't hurt Jacksonville, as he only lost 11 total yards. Two of them came on a drive that resulted in a Jaguars touchdown, and the last one came at the very end of the first half. Lawrence's improved internal clock and pocket awareness are two of the biggest drivers of his overall growth as an NFL quarterback this year.
It's unbelievable to think that T-Law and the Jaguars were able to go band for band with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but it's absolutely true. Jacksonville's offense didn't score as much as Kansas City's, but it did enough to get the win, and it also didn't directly give up points like Mahomes did on his 99-yard pick-six to Devin Lloyd.
Further driving home the point that Lawrence played up to Mahomes' level was the fact that he nearly matched him as a deep passer in Week 5. Jacksonville tallied 121 yards on explosive passes (15 or more yards) to Kansas City's 160. The Chiefs went 3-for-7 on deep attempts of 20 yards or more, while T-Law and the Jags connected on 2-of-2 of theirs for 77 yards. If the Jacksonville offense can continue to threaten opposing defenses downfield, the ceiling will rise significantly, both in real life and in fantasy football.
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